Rededication Service for Corporal Gilbert Willcocks at Ypres Reservoir Cemetery, Belgium

Representatives from the Royal Logistics Corps and Association in attendance at Cpl Willcocks’ Service of Rededication. (Crown copyright)

The rededication ceremony for Corporal Gilbert Willcocks T2/11639, Army Service Corps took place at Ypres Reservoir Cemetery, Belgium, on 19 October 2022.

The service was organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’. It was conducted by The Reverend Andy Nicolls, CF. Cpl Willcocks was previously commemorated on the CWGC Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.

Cpl Willcocks' rededication was one of six happening around Ypres, Belgium over the 18 and 19 October for soldiers lost in World War One with each ceremony attended by representatives from the current day equivalents of these casualties’ regiments (Royal Fusiliers, the Mercian Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps and the Royal Regiment of Scotland).

Louise Dorr, MOD JCCC case worker said:
“Our thanks go to several of our regular researchers, who have investigated these six graves and been able to prove who is buried in each of them. Thanks to their efforts we have been able to confirm their findings and return these soldiers’ names to them. I’m so honoured to have been able to be here to rededicate their final resting places.”

Cpl Willcocks' headstone was replaced by CWGC as part of the rededication. 

Director for the Central and Southern European Area at the CWGC, Geert Bekaert, said: 
“We are privileged to be able to honour these six brave men, who all paid the ultimate sacrifice fighting in the Great War. Thanks to the research and work of many, we are able to renew our commitment to care for these soldiers’ graves, in perpetuity” 

Corporal Gilbert (Bert) Willcocks

Bert Willcocks was born in Taunton in 1891, one of nine children of Elias and Avis (nee Tucker) Willcocks. By the time of the 1901 Census, the family had moved to Swansea and, after leaving school, Bert worked for the Swansea Education Office before becoming a commercial traveller. By 1911, Bert’s father had died, the family had moved to Roarth and Bert was working as a grocer’s assistant. He played football in the Cardiff Football League and attended Crwys Hall Methodist chapel.

He joined the army at the outbreak of war and went to France in May 1915 as a member of the Army Service Corps. He was killed in action on 28 November 1915 when he was hit by a German shell while manning a canteen just behind the front line. He was so well respected by the men and officers of 105 Company that they raised the sum of £6 15/- to raise a brass plaque to his memory. The craftsman who was commissioned to make the plaque would not accept payment for it, so the money was given to Bert’s widowed mother. The plaque was unveiled in April 1916 in a packed church by the Lord Mayor of Cardiff and remained there until the building fell into disrepair and was closed. The plaque ended up with a private collector in Europe until a local man (who attended the rededication service) bought it back and donated it to the renovated Highfields Church where it hangs in memory of Bert’s sacrifice.

The remains of Cpl Willcocks were originally recovered from a location southeast of Zillebeke. The war diary makes mention of his wounding only a few yards from where his remains were later recovered.